President briefed on plans to ensure fair taxation, military service, education, workers’ rightsPresident Lee Myung-bak revved up his drive for a “fair society” by launching a monthly high-profile meeting Thursday to draw specific policy measures.Lee stressed that political parties must join efforts to create a fair society regardless of who is in power. “(Korea) must make suprapartisan efforts th

Pro-Lee Myung-bak faction pushes for discussion of constitutional revisionRival parties are at odds over holding an extraordinary National Assembly session this month and a meeting between President Lee Myung-bak and opposition party leader, while a group of governing party lawmakers push for Constitutional amendment. Floor leaders Kim Moo-sung of the ruling Grand National Party and Park Jie-won o

President suggests constitutional revision to meet needs of digital eraPresident Lee Myung-bak reiterated during a televised talk show Tuesday that an inter-Korean summit would be possible if Pyongyang shows a sincere change of attitude.“Six-party negotiations or inter-Korean talks can produce outcome only if North Korea changes its attitude,” Lee said, referring to the North’s past record of repe

President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday named former chief of Statistics Korea Kim Dae-ki as his new top aide for economic affairs.Kim will succeed Choi Joong-kyung, who was appointed minister of knowledge economy last week.Having been in charge of financial management at the Ministry of Budget and Planning, which was later merged into the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Kim became the chief of Stati

President Lee Myung-bak is to give his views on inter-Korean relations, diplomatic issues and the government’s economic policy plans for this year in a televised talk show Tuesday morning.In the 90-minute show titled “Dialogue with the President: the Republic of Korea in 2011,” Lee will discuss foreign affairs, security and economy with Hallym University of Graduate Studies professor Chung Kwan-yo

President Lee Myung-bak is reportedly considering replacing some of his aides and Cabinet members in February as he completes his third year in office.Lee, first of all, has to name a new senior presidential secretary for economic affairs to replace Choi Joong-kyung, who was appointed as the minister of knowledge economy last week.“As for the vacancies in Cheong Wa Dae, nominations can take place

North Korea proposed parliamentary talks with the South to discuss ways to ease tension on the peninsula, drawing varied reactions from political parties here.“What is essential in the inter-Korean dialogue is dialogue between the authorities with real power and responsibility,” the North’s Central Committee of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland said in an English-languag

With as many as six seats up for grabs, the by-elections in April are expected to have a major impact on the political climate ahead of the parliamentary and presidential elections next year.Being this year’s only national-level elections, the votes could buck up or discourage the Lee Myung-bak administration as it nears its end.Gangwon Province will have to pick a new governor as Lee Kwang-jae wa

Park Wan-suh (Yonhap News)Park Wan-suh, a well-known South Korean novelist and essayist who delved into post-Korean War realities of everyday people, died of gallbladder cancer on Saturday. She was 80.Park has been suffering the disease in recent years and died earlier in the morning, leaving behind four daughters, according to her acquaintances.Born in what is now a North Korean village bordering

Five Somali pirates caught alive in a military operation to rescue a seized South Korean cargo ship and its crew are detained in an isolated room of a Korean destroyer escorting the freed vessel to Oman, a military source said Saturday.Thirteen pirates had seized the 11,500-ton chemical carrier Samho Jewelry before South Korean Navy commandos raided the ship Friday. The operation was successful, w

The wounded captain of a South Korean cargo ship freed from Somali pirates in a dramatic rescue operation is recovering after surgery in Oman, a doctor said Saturday.Captain Seok Hae-kyun, 57, was shot in the stomach during Friday's rescue operation by South Korean Navy commandos. He was the only one wounded among the 21-member crew of the 11,500-ton chemical carrier Samho Jewelry seized by Somali

The South Korean cargo ship freed Friday from Somali pirates in a dramatic rescue operation is heading to a port in Oman under escort of a warship, and its Korean crew members are expected to return home late next week, company officials said Saturday.South Korean Navy commandos rescued all 21 crew members of the 11,500-ton chemical carrier Samho Jewelry seized by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea

WASHINGTON -- The United States Friday expressed satisfaction that China had joined in voicing concerns over North Korea's uranium enrichment program, which could provide an alternative to plutonium for making nuclear bombs."We were pleased ... that the Chinese acknowledging for the first time in the statements that we put out the enrichment program that the North Koreans had and the steps that ne

More than 8,000 non-native speakers of Korean will sit for the state-administered Korean proficiency test on Sunday in 12 cities across the country, the National Institute for International Education said Friday.The 21st Test of Proficiency in Korean will be given in 13 universities in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, Daejeon, Daegu, Jeju, Cheongju, Suwon, Incheon, Chuncheon, Jeonju and Masan.The results of

The South Korean Defense Ministry said Friday it will suggest a date for a preparatory meeting with North Korea next week to arrange the high-level military talks.“The preliminary talks are likely to be held in February if the two sides agree on the agenda and other issues,” said ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok, adding that colonels from the two sides will likely hold the preparatory talks.While a

The Cheonghae Unit, which was deployed in March 2009 to join an international anti-piracy campaign in the Gulf of Aden off the Somali coast, has thus far subdued pirate ships on 15 occasions.The unit, consisting of a 4,500-ton destroyer, a helicopter and three high-speed boats, has also escorted hundreds of vessels passing through the waters off Somalia and assisted in their safe navigation. The f

* Apr. 4, 2006: Fishing boat “Dongwon,” carrying 25 crewmembers including eight Koreans, is hijacked near Somali territory. The crew is held for 117 days until July 30. * May 15, 2007: Twenty-four crewmembers of “Mabuno No. 1” and “No. 2,” including four Koreans, are kidnapped on the seas off Somalia. They are released 174 days later on Nov. 4. * Oct. 28, 2007: Japanese chemical tanker “Golden Nor

The Seoul government said Thursday it has decided to accept North Korea's proposal to hold high-level military talks which came a day after the U.S. and China called on the communist state to end provocations. The proposal is the latest in a series of recent overtures from the North for dialogue with its southern neighbor against which it made two deadly attacks last year.North Korea said it will

North Korea proposed holding high-level military talks with South Korea on Thursday, a day after the U.S. and China called on the communist state to end provocations.The proposal is the latest in a series of recent overtures from the North for dialogue with its southern neighbor against which it made two deadly attacks last year.“Under the name of Kim Yong-chun, minister of the People’s Armed Forc

Being the first in something always draws attention. Such was the case for Yoon Eun-key, who became the first non-bureaucrat to take the helm of the Central Officials Training Institute eight months ago.The former corporate consultant, lecturer, radio host and university president has held a dozen job titles, but had never served in the public sector before.“With my experience in corporate educati